maintain renderslaves (3ds max)

[themaxxer]

does this work also with vray for max?

Originally Posted by chuckie7413
Vlado is there a silent install option, so install can be done via command line?



Yep, there is.

Create an .xml file with contents similar to the one below, where you can specify the values for the various installer variables. If a variable is missing, a default value will be used (f.e. if the MAYAROOT variable is missing, it will be taken from the registry information about the Maya installation).

Then you can run the installer with the command:

Code:
vray_adv_150SP1_maya2011_x64.exe -gui=0 -configFile="xml_file.xml" -quiet=1
Obviously, replace the name of the installer .exe with the actual one that you want to run. The -gui=0 option tells it to run in command line mode; the -configFile option specifies the path and file name to a .xml from which the values of the various installer variables are read; the -quiet option tells it to run without prompting the user for input. If you omit the -quiet option, the installer will prompt you to confirm each variable (probably a good idea to run it this way while testing).

Below is an example .xml file, here is a description of the variables:

MAYAROOT - this is the root Maya folder;
STDROOT - this is the folder where various other files will be installed (documentation, SDK etc);
MODULEDEST - the Maya modules folder;
PLUGINS - this is the folder where V-Ray specific Maya-related stuff will be installed (scripts, plugins etc);
OPEN_CHANGELOG - this is 1 to open the changelog after the installation and 0 if you don't want it to open;
INSTALL_TYPE - 0 is full install (workstation, includes SDK); 1 is standalone only;

Example .xml file:
Code:
<DefValues> <Value Name="MAYAROOT" DataType="value">D:\Maya2011_x64\</Value> <Value Name="STDROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\Maya 2011 for x64</Value> <Value Name="MODULEDEST" DataType="value">D:\Maya2011_x64/modules</Value> <Value Name="PLUGINS" DataType="value">D:\Maya2011_x64/vray</Value> <Value Name="OPEN_CHANGELOG" DataType="value">0</Value> </DefValues>
If there is a previous build of V-Ray for Maya installed, it will be automatically removed before the new files are copied.

Best regards,
Vlado

best regards
themaxxer

[vlado]

Yes, although the .xml variables are different. You can see the available variables in the DefValues section of the vrender_adv_max2011_x64_install.xml file (or the respective 3ds Max version) which for a normal installation is usually in C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\3dsmax 2011 for x64\uninstall (again, replace 2011 with the respective 3ds Max version). The most important ones are:

MAXROOT - the 3ds Max root folder;
PLUGINS - folder for the V-Ray plugins for 3ds Max. Normally the plugins folder inside the 3ds Max root folder;
STDROOT - folder for additional V-Ray files (the V-Ray SDK, the tools like the irradiance map viewer etc). Normally this is c:\program files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\3dsmax 2011 for x64 or similar;
RTROOT - files for V-Ray RT. Normally c:\program files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\RT for 3ds Max 2011 for x64 or similar;
OPEN_README - specifies whether to open the readme file at the end of the installation;
OPEN_CHANGELOG - specifies whether to open the changelog file at the end of the installation;
INSTALL_TYPE - installation type (0 - workstation; 1 - 3ds Max render slave; 2 - V-Ray RT render slave; 3 - license server only);
INSTALL_WIBU - whether the WIBU drivers should be installed or not;
REG_LIC_SERVER - whether to register the V-Ray license server as a Windows service;
REMOTE_LICENSE - whether the license will be taken from the same machine, or from another machine in the network, which runs the V-Ray license server;
AUTO_INSTALL_UIMENUS - whether to register the V-Ray menus (the V-Ray light lister, the various additions to the Create menu etc).

Best regards,
Vlado

[im.thatoneguy]

Yes, although the .xml variables are different. You can see the available variables in the DefValues section of the vrender_adv_max2011_x64_install.xml file (or the respective 3ds Max version) which for a normal installation is usually in C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\3dsmax 2011 for x64\uninstall (again, replace 2011 with the respective 3ds Max version). The most important ones are:

Best regards,
Vlado

Odd, I'm not seeing this in the .XML but you can grab it out of the .log file so all is well.

Edit: Doubly weird. It was in a different render node's XML. Mysteries of the universe.

Edit2: By the way, for the sake of future generations here is the XML I use for updating rendernodes.

<DefValues>
	<Value Name="MAXROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2012\</Value>
	<Value Name="STDROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\3dsmax 2012 for x64</Value>
	<Value Name="RTROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\RT for 3ds Max 2012 for x64</Value>
	<Value Name="PLUGINS" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2012\plugins</Value>
	<Value Name="STARTMENUPROG" DataType="value">C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs</Value>
	<Value Name="COMMONFILES" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Common Files</Value>
	<Value Name="OPEN_README" DataType="value">0</Value>
	<Value Name="OPEN_CHANGELOG" DataType="value">0</Value>
	<Value Name="INSTALL_TYPE" DataType="value">1</Value>
	<Value Name="LICENSE_TYPE" DataType="value">0</Value>
	<Value Name="INSTALL_WIBU" DataType="value">0</Value>
	<Value Name="REG_LIC_SERVER" DataType="value">0</Value>
	<Value Name="REMOTE_LICENSE" DataType="value">1</Value>
	<Value Name="AUTO_INSTALL_UIMENUS" DataType="value">1</Value>
</DefValues>

[simmsimaging]

I'm giving this a try as it will save a lot of hassle, but I'm doing something wrong. Neither workstation nor render slave will run properly after running the silent install. This is what I have in the xml for the workstation, which is also my license server:

<DefValues>
<Value Name="MAXROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2012\</Value>
<Value Name="STDROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\3dsmax 2012 for x64</Value>
<Value Name="RTROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\RT for 3ds Max 2012 for x64</Value>
<Value Name="PLUGINS" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2012\plugins</Value>
<Value Name="STARTMENUPROG" DataType="value">C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\ Start Menu\Programs</Value>
<Value Name="COMMONFILES" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Common Files</Value>
<Value Name="OPEN_README" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="OPEN_CHANGELOG" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="INSTALL_TYPE" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="LICENSE_TYPE" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="INSTALL_WIBU" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="REG_LIC_SERVER" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="REMOTE_LICENSE" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="AUTO_INSTALL_UIMENUS" DataType="value">1</Value>
</DefValues>



This is what i have on the .xml for the slaves:
<DefValues>
<Value Name="MAXROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2012\</Value>
<Value Name="STDROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\3dsmax 2012 for x64</Value>
<Value Name="RTROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\RT for 3ds Max 2012 for x64</Value>
<Value Name="PLUGINS" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2012\plugins</Value>
<Value Name="STARTMENUPROG" DataType="value">C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\ Start Menu\Programs</Value>
<Value Name="COMMONFILES" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Common Files</Value>
<Value Name="OPEN_README" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="OPEN_CHANGELOG" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="INSTALL_TYPE" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="LICENSE_TYPE" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="INSTALL_WIBU" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="REG_LIC_SERVER" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="REMOTE_LICENSE" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="AUTO_INSTALL_UIMENUS" DataType="value">1</Value>
</DefValues>

This seems to result in most of the vray components being uninstalled, and not reinstalled. What am I missing?

[vlado]

It could be useful to run the installation without the -quiet option and see if there are any error messages and such.

Best regards,
Vlado

[simmsimaging]

Running it without -quiet did not bring up any error messages, but I figured out the problem just a moment ago: it was pointed by default to Max 2012 but I use Design 2012 - an oversight on my part. This works like a charm now, and is considerably faster than installing with GUI. It will be very useful, thank you.

/b

[jacksc02]

So I thought I would finally get a system going for updating our render farm and workstations by using silent installs.
I have followed all the instructions here for installing VRay but so far I can't get it working.
I have set up 3dsmax updates to install and they work perfectly but VRay just wont install.
Has anything changed in the newer builds (2.3) In regards to the silent install process?

[Morbid Angel]

There is a better way to handle the farm. You can deploy vray to an arbitrary location and start 3ds max using a predefined environment variable set. Thought I've yet to set it up in max, we do use it in maya very efficiently. The idea is to install vray to a single location on the network and have all machines load it through this start up file.

[vlado]

Has anything changed in the newer builds (2.3) In regards to the silent install process?

Nope.

Can you explain a bit what you mean by "not working"? The plugins aren't loading at all, or they show errors?

Best regards,
Vlado

[jacksc02]

Hi Vlado,
I am using a software deployment programme called PDQ deploy and I have set up an "installer" using the parameters-
"vray_adv_23001_max2012_x64.exe -gui=0 -configFile="xml_file.xml" -quiet=1"

And using this XML file-
<DefValues>
<Value Name="MAXROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2012\</Value>
<Value Name="STDROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\3dsmax 2012 for x64</Value>
<Value Name="RTROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\RT for 3ds Max 2012 for x64</Value>
<Value Name="PLUGINS" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2012\plugins</Value>
<Value Name="STARTMENUPROG" DataType="value">C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\ Start Menu\Programs</Value>
<Value Name="COMMONFILES" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Common Files</Value>
<Value Name="OPEN_README" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="OPEN_CHANGELOG" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="INSTALL_TYPE" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="LICENSE_TYPE" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="INSTALL_WIBU" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="REG_LIC_SERVER" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="REMOTE_LICENSE" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="AUTO_INSTALL_UIMENUS" DataType="value">1</Value>
</DefValues>

Now when I deploy this "installer" I can see through the task manager that the vray_adv_23001_max2012_x64.exe process is running but it just sits there and doesn't install.
I have tried with the silent mode turned off but the same thing happens. I am thinking that I have missed something out...

[jacksc02]

Hi Vlado,
I am using a software deployment programme called PDQ deploy and I have set up an "installer" using the parameters-
"vray_adv_23001_max2012_x64.exe -gui=0 -configFile="xml_file.xml" -quiet=1"

And using this XML file-
<DefValues>
<Value Name="MAXROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2012\</Value>
<Value Name="STDROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\3dsmax 2012 for x64</Value>
<Value Name="RTROOT" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\RT for 3ds Max 2012 for x64</Value>
<Value Name="PLUGINS" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2012\plugins</Value>
<Value Name="STARTMENUPROG" DataType="value">C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\ Start Menu\Programs</Value>
<Value Name="COMMONFILES" DataType="value">C:\Program Files\Common Files</Value>
<Value Name="OPEN_README" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="OPEN_CHANGELOG" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="INSTALL_TYPE" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="LICENSE_TYPE" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="INSTALL_WIBU" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="REG_LIC_SERVER" DataType="value">0</Value>
<Value Name="REMOTE_LICENSE" DataType="value">1</Value>
<Value Name="AUTO_INSTALL_UIMENUS" DataType="value">1</Value>
</DefValues>

Now when I deploy this "installer" I can see through the task manager that the vray_adv_23001_max2012_x64.exe process is running but it just sits there and doesn't install.
I have tried with the silent mode turned off but the same thing happens. I am thinking that I have missed something out...

[vlado]

Can you somehow see the console output of the installer?

Best regards,
Vlado

[jacksc02]

Vlado,
Do you mean the console of the vray installer or PDQ deploy?
Does VRay write out an installer log?

[vlado]

Does VRay write out an installer log?

No, it writes to the standard command-line output, which is what I want to see. PDQ maybe has an option to save that output to file?

Best regards,
Vlado

[jacksc02]

Hi Vlado,
PDQ has an option to save a txt file but for some reason it isn't working.
I am working through the issue with PDQ at the moment and hopefully they can help out.
Part of the problem is trying to deploy EXE files. MSI and MSP files make network deployment much easier.

Is there a way to use an arbitrary location like the maya install?